estimating, managing, and tracking projects: how to get a handle on budgeting your time and money

Estimating, Managing,and Tracking Projects

How to Get a Handle on Budgeting Your Time and Money

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What We’ll Cover

Analyzing the Job at Hand

Recording the Analysis

Estimating Time/Cost per Element

Tracking the Project

Recording Results for Posterity

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

Quality of Source Material

Review Cycles

Format/Style/Platform Requirements

Authoring Tool

Scoping the Job

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

What’s Written Down?

Quality/Availability of SMEs

Status of Target Subject

Availability of Target Subject

Quality of Source Material

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

How Many?

Review Meetings Needed?

How Will Changes Be Provided?

Review Cycles

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

Templates, Existing Styles?

Design Format from Scratch

Platform for Deliverables

Format/Style/Platform Requirements

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

New Tools Needed?

Tool Costs

Tool Learning Curve/Training

Authoring Tool

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

Identify Tasks, Other Sections

Breakdown Each Task

Approximate Concept InfoApproximate StepsApproximate Screens/Graphics

Scoping the Job

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

Examples

Software User Manual

HelpDemonstrationeLearning

Scoping the Job

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Recording the Analysis

Tour of the Job Worksheet

Recording Scope, Calculating Element Count

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Estimating Time/Cost per Element

Based on Similar Jobs

Brand NewRevision

Hours Per Element (page, help topic, slide)

Resource Costs

Ad Hoc Costs

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Analyzing the Job at Hand

Analyze Sample Input:

Rate quality of input ( 1=poor, 5=excellent)

Determine major sections

Determine number of tasks, screens shots needed, page length of tasks

Decide an estimated page count, hours/page

Group Exercise

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Tracking the Project

Project Management Software

Track Resource Time

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Recording Results

Final Element Count

Divide Hours per Element Count

Soft Factor Analysis

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Tools UsedTool Mac App Used Windows Equivalent

Spreadsheet for Job Worksheet Numbers Excel

Project Management OmniPlan FastTrack Scheduleor Microsoft Project

Mini Relational Database Bento Access, FileMaker

Calendar to Track Project Time iCal Outlook

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